Counter showcase refrigerator



Nov. 10, 1931 V V. P. WARREN COUNTER SHOWCASE REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 26. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z I? Warnen Nov. 10, 1931. \g. P. WARREN COUNTER SHOWCASE REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T mn x & h

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Nov. 10, 1931. v. P. WARREN 1,331,758

COUNTER SHOWCASE REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fig. 2

Qwwmtoz I villi/11111111111111!!! Patented Nov. 10, 1931 vixen. r. 'oF Airmail, esteem couifrnh saowcase Re ectance Application filed Deeembe'r'26, 1 928l Seria1-N6'.*328,466.

r This invention relates to refrigerators of.

the counter show case type designed for simultaneous display and. refrigeration of perishableprovisions. t

Heretofore, where showcase refrigerators of this type have been cooled by tankscontaining ice or brine, the tanks have been arranged at the rear of the display compartment, and have been made accessible. for cleaning and replenishing only through openings above the tanks and closed by covers'or lids arranged in the framework immediately above the tank. This'construction rendered it diflicult to remove the tank bodily from the showcase whenever it became necessary to clean the tanksor to replenish the refrigeran't therein. j i r v I The object of the present invention is to providea showcase refrigerator ofth'is type in'which the refrigeranttank may be readily removed from the showcase and may be cleaned and filledouts'idef the showcase; and which can be readily slid into and out of its operative position in the showcase when desired. 1

Another object of the invention is to-construct the refrigerant tank compartment so that its rear end is formed'by a door hinged to swing about horizontal pivots and to form, when open, a horizontal support for, the refrigeran-t tank when the-latter is slid out from the showcase onto the open door. I V r A further object of the invention is to pro vide anovel door construction for this type of, showcase which ensures a close fit with the framework ofthe striking edge of the door throughout its length. Y

Still another object of the invention isto provide a gravity actuated hinge construction for doors of this type of showcase, whichis adapted to limitthe doors to a predetermined open position relative to the framework of the showcase. Y

Other objects of the invention will appear asthe detailed description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective ofthe' counter showcase refrigerator taken from the front thereof Figure 2 is a perspective'view of the back ofthe showcase';

Figure 3 is an elevation to an enlarged scale of one :of the doors, used inthis invention, parts thereof being broken away to show de- 55 tails ofvconstruction;

Figure 4 is an edgewise plan view; of they d oor,;with parts broken away to illustrate details f construction; V Figure 5 is aivertica l transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3 Figure 6 :is a broken sectional elevation-of the refrigerating end of the showcase, with; parts broken away andshown in section; and

t Figure Tis a fragmentary endelevation, 65 showlngxtheshowcase door in openposition 7 and supporting a refrigerator tank thereon"; anc;

,Figu-re 8 is a perspectiveview of one ofthe doors' r.

As. shown in the drawings, the invention comprises: a lowerstoruge casing 1,- rovi-ded with atop 2 which" forms the base the dis play case'proper;

p The display case hasa reticul'atedorgridlike shelf 3 supportedhorizontally above the top 2 by and between the ends 4 and suitably secured to said top 2. In the particular case illustrated herein,the front is formed by glass suitably secured between the ends 4 and 5; and access is had to the insideof the glaze'd front part of the easing'through the sliding glazed doors' 6, 7, s and 9 sudably mounted in suitable recesses formed in the inclined wall 10 of the showcase.v 5 f :A refrigeratingcompartment 11 isformed at the rear of the showcase and has its ends formed'by rearward rectangular eiiten sion's of the ends fi -and 5. 'The'top oftherefi'ige'r5 ating'compartment is formed by plate 12 which is secured suitably to the loweredge of inclined wall 1'0,to the ends 4 and'h and toja franie l3,forniing, with doors 14 and 15, the rear wall of the refrigerating compart- '95 m a In the refrigerating. comp artment' the tanks 16 and 17 are mounted to Slide horizontally on runners 18, see Figure 7,,and'are't'giuide'd i the e unners 18"by means of plates 19 slidable between flanges 20 and 21, formed on the runners 18.

The plates 19 are secured in pairs to the ends of the tanks 16 and 17 and serve to maintain said tanks horizontal during their movement into and out of the showcase compartment. I

In order to present a greatly increased cooling surface for contact with the air in the showcase and without increasing the volume,

of the refrigerating tanlnflthe latte'r'is provided with a series of tubes 22 entending through the bottom of the tank up to the top thereof and inclined somewhat as shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings,

- The reticulated shelf 3 is of such width that the rear edge thereof forms a stop adapted to contact with the front sides of the tanks to position the latter properly in the showcase. v

The framework 13 is provided with suitable openings to give access to the interior of the showcase, and to provide for the insertion and removal of the tanks 16 and 17 when it becomes necessary to replenish the refrigerant therein.

Each of the doors 14- and 15 is of special construction and is adapted when in open position to have the inner face thereof form a horizontal support for the tanks 16 or 17 when the latter are withdrawn from the showcase for any particular reason.

As shown particularly in Figures and 6, each of the doors 14 or is hinged to swing toward and from the door opening in the framework 13, about a horizontal axis; and in order to maintain the door in horizontal position when open, hinges 23 of special construction are used to connect the door to the framework of the lower casing 1.

Each of said hinges 23 comprises a branch 21 suitably fixed to the framework of the lower casing 1 and having hinged thereto a second branch 25 suitably fixed to the rear face of the door 1 1 or 15 as the case may be. Thebran'ch 25 is provided with a projecting lug 26 towhich is pivotally connected an arm 27 providedwith a stop portion 28 which limits the swinging movement of the arm 27 relative to the branch 25. The branch 2-1 is providedwith a central recess 29 adapted to receive slidably the somewhat spherical end 30 of the'arm27, and the lower end of the recess 29 terminates in a stop portion 31 which limits the downward movement of the end 30 of arm 27 in the said recess 29.

It will be apparent from Figures 6 and 7 that the arm 27 swings by gravity around the pivotal connection thereof with the projection 26 and that the stop 28 so positions the arm 27 that during the opening of the door theend' 30 of arm 27 must contact with the recess 29 ofbranch 24 and slide into contact with the stop portion 31 thereof. 1

The arm 27 forms with the branches 2 1 and 25 a bracket which supportsthe door when fully opened in a horizontal position and causes the door to serve either as an additional shelf or as a support for the refrigerant tanks when the latter are drawn out from the showcase for the purpose of replenishing the supply'of refrigerant or for cleansing purposes.

In this type of showcase, these doors are, ofnecessity, rather long in comparison with their width, and they" are usually provided with cam catches-32 mounted at each end of the door to engage with keepers 33 mounted on the-framework 13; It is evident that these catches will cause the ends of the doors to make close fitting contact' 'with the rear framework of the refrigerant compartment; but, because of their 'comparatively great length the doors are likely to buckle outward at their center and leave a gap which allows the warm outer air to leak into the refrigerant compartment and impair the eficiency of the case. 7

In order to ensure close contact of each edge of the door with the framework, the bevelled rabbeted edges thereof have a deep groove 34 formed therein on an arm running from one end of the door to the other, and with the center of the-arm bowed toward the outer face of the door. In order to cause the door to curve inwardly along its long edges, a straight piece of spring steel 35 is sprung into the arcuate groove 34. The tendency of the steel rod 35 to resume its original straight condition evidently causes the door to bend inwardly at the middle thereof into contact with the framework 13. 7

' In order to prevent buckling of the door transversely thereof, the wood of which it is formed is bored parallel to the inner and outer faces thereof and steel rods 36 are driven into the holes bored therefor and extend substantially along the door from one edge to the other. These steel rods, which may be considered as dowel rods, are along wit the rod 35 covered by a sheet 37 of rust-proof metal, and are therefore concealed in the finished door. r V

In order to strengthen the door still further and to provide a metallic plate to receive the screws of the doorhinges, each end of the door is provided with a slot 38 extending from one long edge to the other of the rabbeted part ofthe door; and in each slot there is seated one arm of a plate 39 which fits snugly into the slot and is suitably tapped to receive the screwthread of machine screws 40 by which the hinges are secured to the door. I 7 i r The other arm 41 is bent to fit the bevelled end of the door rabbet and is ,suitablynailed or otherwise secured to said bevelled end. This construction not only provides a metallie plate embeddedin the door to re'ceive'the hinge screws, but the arm 411 also serves to hold this plate positioned in the slot 38, and takes all strain of! the projecting ends, which are weakened by the formation of the slot 38 in the door ends. The hinge plate 24 and [plate 39 also serve as clamps to strengthen a the ends 42 further.

Wherever possible in this construction, the

hinge elements are not screwed directly into the wooden framework, but are secured by machine screws tapped into metallic plates 1 such as plate 39, embedded in the woodwork.-

' What I claim is:

A counter refrigerator showcase having a transparent front display section and a rear refrigerator. compartment provided with a vertical opening, a door hinged about a normally horizontal axis to move into and out of said opening, means for holding the door substantially horizontal when open, a refrigerant tank having guide plates secured to opposite ends thereof, guide channels mounted in said compartment to receive said guide plates slidably, and means on the bottom of said tank to contact with the inner faceof said door when the latter is in open position and the tank is slid out of said compartment over said open door.

In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature.

VIRGIL P. WARREN. 

